to the last man-第64章
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out there was a refuge。 She evidently sensed more about the man than
appeared in his slow talk； in his slouching position。 Her lips shut
in a firm line； as if to hide their trembling and to still her
passionate tongue。 Jean； in his absorption； magnified his perceptions。
Not yet was Ellen Jorth afraid of this man； but she feared the situation。
Jean's heart was at bursting pitch。 All within him seemed chaosa
wreck of beliefs and convictions。 Nothing was true。 He would wake
presently out of a nightmare。 Yet； as surely as he quivered there；
he felt the imminence of a great momenta lightning flasha
thunderbolta balance struck。
Colter attended to the forgotten cigarette。 He rolled it； lighted it；
all the time with lowered； pondering head； and when he had puffed a
cloud of smoke he suddenly looked up with face as hard as flint；
eyes as fiery as molten steel。
〃Wal； Ellenhow aboot Jean Isbelour half…breed Nez Perce friendwho
was shore seen handlin' y'u familiar？〃 he drawled。
Ellen Jorth quivered as under a lash； and her brown face turned a dusty
scarlet； that slowly receding left her pale。
〃Damn y'u； Jim Colter！〃 she burst out； furiously。 〃I wish Jean Isbel
would jump in that dooror down out of that loft！ 。 。 。 He killed
Greaves for defiling my name！ 。 。 。 He'd kill Y'U for your dirty insult。
。 。 。 And I'd like to watch him do it。 。 。 。 Y'u cold…blooded Texan！
Y'u thieving rustler！ Y'u liar！ 。 。 。 Y'u lied aboot my father's death。
And I know why。 Y'u stole my father's gold。 。 。 。 An' now y'u want me
y'u expect me to fall into your arms。 。 。 。 My Heaven！ cain't y'u tell
a decent woman？ Was your mother decent？ Was your sister decent？
。 。 。 Bah！ I'm appealing to deafness。 But y'u'll HEAH this； Jim Colter！
。 。 。 I'm not what yu think I am！ I'm not thethe damned hussy y'u
liars have made me out。 。 。 。 I'm a Jorth； alas！ I've no home； no
relatives； no friends！ I've been forced to live my life with rustlers
vile men like y'u an' Daggs an' the rest of your like。 。 。 。 But I've
been good！ Do y'u heah that？ 。 。 。 I AM goodso help me God； y'u an'
all your rottenness cain't make me bad！〃
Colter lounged to his tall height and the laxity of the man vanished。
Vanished also was Jean Isbel's suspended icy dread； the cold clogging
of his fevered mindvanished in a white； living； leaping flame。
Silently he drew his knife and lay there watching with the eyes of a
wildcat。 The instant Colter stepped far enough over toward the edge
of the loft Jean meant to bound erect and plunge down upon him。 But
Jean could wait now。 Colter had a gun at his hip。 He must never have
a chance to draw it。
〃Ahuh！ So y'u wish Jean Isbel would hop in heah； do y'u？〃 queried Colter。
〃Wal； if I had any pity on y'u； that's done for it。〃
A sweep of his long arm； so swift Ellen had no time to move； brought
his hand in clutching contact with her。 And the force of it flung her
half across the cabin room； leaving the sleeve of her blouse in his grasp。
Pantingly she put out that bared arm and her other to ward him off as
he took long； slow strides toward her。
Jean rose half to his feet； dragged by almost ungovernable passion to
risk all on one leap。 But the distance was too great。 Colter； blind
as he was to all outward things； would hear； would see in time to make
Jean's effort futile。 Shaking like a leaf； Jean sank back； eye again
to the crack between the rafters。
Ellen did not retreat； nor scream； nor move。 Every line of her body
was instinct with fight； and the magnificent blaze of her eyes would
have checked a less callous brute。
Colter's big hand darted between Ellen's arms and fastened in the front
of her blouse。 He did not try to hold her or draw her close。 The
unleashed passion of the man required violence。 In one savage pull
he tore off her blouse； exposing her white； rounded shoulders and
heaving bosom； where instantly a wave of red burned upward。
Overcome by the tremendous violence and spirit of the rustler； Ellen
sank to her knees； with blanched face and dilating eyes； trying with
folded arms and trembling hand to hide her nudity。
At that moment the rapid beat of hoofs on the hard trail outside halted
Colter in his tracks。
〃Hell！〃 he exclaimed。 〃An' who's that？〃 With a fierce action he flung
the remnants of Ellen's blouse in her face and turned to leap out the door。
Jean saw Ellen catch the blouse and try to wrap it around her； while she
sagged against the wall and stared at the door。 The hoof beats pounded
to a solid thumping halt just outside。
〃Jimthar's hell to pay！〃 rasped out a panting voice。
〃Wal； Springer； I reckon I wished y'u'd paid it without spoilin'
my deals；〃 retorted Colter； cool and sharp。
〃Deals？ Ha！ Y'u'll be forgettin'your lady lovein a minnit；〃
replied Springer。 〃When I catchmy breath。〃
〃Where's Somers？〃 demanded Colter。
〃I reckon he's all shot upif my eyes didn't fool me。〃
〃Where is he？〃 yelled Colter。
〃Jimhe's layin' up in the bushes round thet bluff。 I didn't wait
to see how he was hurt。 But he shore stopped some lead。 An' he flopped
like a chicken with itshaid cut off。〃
〃Where's Antonio？〃
〃He run like the greaser he is；〃 declared Springer； disgustedly。
〃Ahuh！ An' where's Queen？〃 queried Colter； after a significant pause。
〃Dead！〃
The silence ensuing was fraught with a suspense that held Jean in cold
bonds。 He saw the girl below rise from her knees； one hand holding the
blouse to her breast； the other extended； and with strange； repressed；
almost frantic look she swayed toward the door。
〃Wal； talk；〃 ordered Colter； harshly。
〃Jim； there ain't a hell of a lot；〃 replied Springer； drawing a deep
breath； 〃but what there is is shore interestin'。 。 。 。 Me an' Somers
took Antonio with us。 He left his woman with the sheep。 An' we rode
up the canyon； clumb out on top； an' made a circle back on the ridge。
That's the way we've been huntin' fer tracks。 Up thar in a bare spot
we run plump into Queen sittin' against a tree； right out in the open。
Queerest sight y'u ever seen！ The damn gunfighter had set down to wait
for Isbel； who was trailin' him； as we suspected…an' he died thar。
He wasn't cold when we found him。 。 。 。 Somers was quick to see a trick。
So he propped Queen up an' tied the guns to his handsan'； Jim； the
queerest thing aboot that deal was thisQueen's guns was empty！ Not
a shell left！ It beat us holler。 。 。 。 We left him thar； an' hid up
high on the bluff； mebbe a hundred yards off。 The hosses we left back
of a thicket。 An' we waited thar a long time。 But； sure enough；
the half…breed come。 He was too smart。 Too much Injun！ He would not
cross the open； but went around。 An' then he seen Queen。 It was great
to watch him。 After a little he shoved his rifle out an' went right
fer Queen。 This is when I wanted to shoot。 I could have plugged him。
But Somers says wait an' make it sure。 When Isbel got up to Queen he
was sort of half hid by the tree。 An' I couldn't wait no longer；
so I shot。 I hit him； too。 We all begun to shoot。 Somers showed
himself； an' that's when Isbel opened up。 He used up a whole magazine
on Somers an' then； suddenlike； he quit。 It didn't take me long to
figger mebbe he was out of shells。 When I seen him run I was certain
of it。 Then we made for the hosses an' rode after Isbel。 Pretty soon
I seen him runnin' like a deer down the ridge。 I yelled an' spurred
after him。 There is where Antonio quit me。 But I kept on。 An' I got
a shot at Isbel。 He ran out of sight。 I follered him by spots of blood
on the stones an' grass until I couldn't trail him no more。 He must
have gone down over the cliffs。 He couldn't have done nothin' else
without me seein' him。 I found his rifle； an' here it is to prove what
I say。 I had to go back to climb down off the Rim； an' I rode fast
down the canyon。 He's somewhere along that west wall； hidin' in the
brush； hard hit if I know anythin' aboot the color of blood。〃
〃Wal！ 。 。 。 that beats me holler； too；〃 ejaculated Colter。
〃Jim； what's to be done？〃 inquired Springer； eagerly。 If we're sharp
we can corral that half…breed。 He's the last of the Isbels。〃
〃More；
